Better Diagnosis Series: The 10 Questions

[Guest guest]

Good Morning!

 

This week I have put together a series of different articles based on

helping all of us to know and understand the components in a

diagnosis and tools that may help in determining a proper and

affective way in determining the facts.

 

 

Better Diagnosis Series: The 10 Questions

 

Diagnosis is general judgement about diseases and syndromes as well

as state of health of the human body by collecting and analysing

clinical data on the basis of its diagnostic methods.

 

Diagnostics is a discipline to study the basic theories, methods and

techniques of diagnosis in medicine. With its substantial content, it

is regarded as the foundation of every clinical intake. Diagnosis

includes diagnostic methods and differentiation of syndromes.

 

Diagnostic methods consist of interrogation, inspection, auscultation

and olfaction, pulse-feeling and palpation. All these methods aim

mainly at providing objective basis for differentiation of syndromes

by collecting symptoms and signs from the patient.

 

Differentiation of syndromes refers to the process in which analysis

and inference are made on the basis of clinical materials acquired

through various diagnostic methods to determine the type of a

disease. Such modes of logical thinking as concept, inference and

judgement are adopted in the differentiation of syndromes. The type

of a disease is drawn from a large amount of perceptual materials. As

a pathological generalization of a disease in its certain stage,

syndromes reflect the law and nature of a disease, serving as a basis

for treatment. Therefore, they differ from symptoms.

 

Determining if a disease pattern is acute or chronic, more exterior

or interior, more hot or more cold are some of the basic diagnosis

techniques that tell you where to look next as well as what to ask

when working with a patient or client.

 

The etiology and pathology of the disease can tell you where it may

be stemming from and where it may be heading.

 

Asking questions is one of the strong points of an acupuncturists

diagnostic process. While many of the questions may seem irrelevant

to the patient at the time, they help to form a complete picture of

the patient which allows for a uniquely suited diagnosis and

treatment protocol.

 

Traditionally the framework for asking diagnosis is the 10 questions:

 

» Hot, Cold, Fever, Chills

» Sweat

» Head Ears, Eyes, Nose Throat (HEENT)

» Pain: Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Below the waist

» Urine: amount color, smell, Stool: amount, frequency, const/diarr.

» Digestion, Thirst, Appetite, Taste, Diet

» Sleep: difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, nightmares

» Gynecological

» History

 

» History should include:

» Medical History, past, present

» Constitution, self, parents, family

» Emotional State

» Drug Use - Recreational and Prescription

 

 

This is a great start and can give you a great foundation as to the

patient's history. Then, the next step is learning what to do with

this information and how you can use your alternative and

complementary medicine to help!

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit